The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-04-07
THE SOLID SOUTH.


ORPHAN"
THE SOLID SOUTH.
Politicians Talking About a Possible
Breakup.
Special Correspondence of The Register. 8
WASHINGTON, March 27.-There is a
good deal of talk among the politicians
just now about the possibility of break
up of the solid South and correspond
ing change in the Republican States at
the North. This has, of course, been
awakened ip large degree by the visit
of Senator Sherman to the South, and
his appeal to the people of that section
on the tariff and educational questions.
Mr.. Watterson's frank expression on this
subject has surprised good many peo.
pie, not because they did not already be-
lieve the facts to exist, but because they
did not expect him to admit their exist
ence. An especially striking feature of
this talk about the Republican prospects
in the South is the fact that it cones in
large degree from Democrats. I was
talking yesterday with a newspaper man
here, who represents prominent Demo
crat paper in Virginia, and is also well
acquainted in Tennesse and North Caro-.
lina. Said he, II should not be at all
surprised to see the Republicans carry
Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee
in the next election for the Presidency"
"On what issue?" I asked.
"On the tariff and the educational
question aud the repeal of the most
oppressive features of the internal reve-
nue. tax"
Chow about the colored vote going
over to the Democrats 81"
"That will not affect the general result.
If there is enough Of this change to even
be perceptible it will be more than an
offset by the Democratic changes on &C.
count of the matters I have mentioned"
Only little while before that had
talk with a prominent Tennessee editor,
a Democrat, who called my attention to
the fact that very large share of the
newspapers Of the South were now for q
protective tariff, and that the sentiment
of that entire section was drifting in
that direction. He did not hesitate to
say that if the Carlisle. le.Morrison idea
dominates in the Democratic platform
next time, it will fail to carry several of
the Southern States. About the same
time I met bright North Carolina
journalist, Democrat, and asking about
political matters in that State, had got a
very blue response.
1t was, in substance, that statement
that the prospect of the party in North
Carolina were not at all hopeful, especi.
ally in view of the failure of the educa-
tional bill and the refusal to repeal the
tobacco tax. Turning from these inter.
views, I take up New York paper and
find in it brief statement from Col.
Colyar, the editor ofthe Nashville Union,
in which be showed the wonderful growth
of protection sentiment in the three
States named, and just beside it long
interview with the prince of free trade
editors, h. Watterson, in which he pre-.
diets a general break up Of the South
and a loss of several States to the De.
mocracy, mostly on the tariff question.
Perhaps there's nothing in it, but your
average newspaper man is pretty cold.
blooded, and his opinion is not likely to
be warped by his personal wishes, as
your average politician or citizen of most
any Sort
It does not follow because the Repub-
licans have prospect of gaining two or
three Southern States, however, that they
are sure of winning the fight. They are
apparently in just as much danger of
losing two or three Northern States on
the same tariff question, for It looks as if
the free trade sentiment was gaining
ground in protection New England about
as fast as the protection sentiment was
growing in the free trade South. 1t is
well understood that the develop
ments during the visit of~Mr. Carlisle to
New England were such that he and his
friends came back very much encouraged
about the prospects of capturing part
of that section next election.
Connecticut they consider very hope.
full State for the party, while from the
Northwest they receive very hopeful re-
ports regarding the growth Of the free
trade sentiment, especially in Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Michigan. They are
quite confident that they will gain in the
Northwest all the votes they lose in the
South, perhaps more.
"Too HIGH A STANDARD FOR OFFICE. ="
They are telling rather amusing story
about one of the many conferences held
over the Interstate Commerce Commits.
siouers before they were selected, and
the slender encouragement that Mr..
Cleveland got in his efforts to find some
men of especially high standing for the
positions. There we're number of gen.
tlemen of prominence at the White
House, 80 the story goes, and the Presi-
dent was consulting them about the
commission.
"one thing is certain" he said, "there
must be at least one man on the commits
sion who will be above reproach, with
out the slightest taint or doubtful reputa-
tion, on whom the entire country will
look with the utmost confidence, no mat
ter what may come along" This propo.
sition was concurred in by everybody
present except rather eccentric, but
yery sagacious politician present, who